...the sand slips through the hour-glass...

Its like holding a shell to your ear. The sound of the breeze gently moving over the ground...

...here we go again, new year, same story.

Eurovision. There have been many words written on the subject in recent days and many of them are simply last years words regurgitated. I am older than I care to admit and have taken more than a passing interest in the subject since Bucks Fizz became my childhood heroes (after Adam Ant, Abba and Tina Charles – God aren’t kids fickle…) when they won the competition in 1981. And, I have to say, I struggle to remember a time when people didn’t complain about a) The Voting and b) Terry Wogan’s commentary.

For many years the voting argument was aimed at the Nordic countries for patting each other on the back with the obligatory ‘douze’ points – Not forgetting Cyprus and their 12 point love of Greece. However, in this new millennium that all seems to be forgotten (even though it continues as before) as we have a new enemy, ‘the east’.

Apparently ‘the east’ are now rigging the voting and making a mockery of the competition. Plus, viewers no longer vote for their favourite song, they vote according to a country’s political pursuits – maybe we should rename it the Eurovision Political Popularity Contest?? At the end of the day we all believe what we want to believe, but I think it’s all nonsense.

Its already been pointed out on various blogs that if you only count the votes cast this year by the ‘western’ countries, the result is exactly the same – a win for Serbia and a second place for the Ukraine. In fact, there is little change in the top ten highest scoring countries and the UK and Ireland’s place at the bottom. Proof, if you want to believe it, that a handful of the now massive 42 voting countries, awarding 12 points to their neighbours, does not distort or corrupt the result. Let’s not forget that apart from the odd exception (e.g. Ireland) Eurovision is won by a different country every year. Its also been pointed out that this year’s competition was held in Helsinki – because ‘western’ Finland won the competition last year of course with just as many Balkan, former soviet and Yugoslav countries voting for one another. Critics in this country seem to forget that ‘most’ countries do not award their neighbours 12 points and all countries award many other points besides the magic 12. This guarantees the spontaneity of the result each year.

As for the political element, well come on, how many people in this country can name more than one other political leader in Europe? Sure we all know Bush and Putin, but who can rattle off the name of the current Slovenian leader or even that of our close neighbours France and Italy for example? To suggest that people voting in Eurovision are being that articulate en-masse is ridiculous. Respected BBC ‘DJ’s’ are suggesting it’s the Iraq war that has consigned us to the bottom of the heap – with respect, does anyone remember the French position on the Iraq war? And what good has it done them? I believe they were at the bottom of the heap along with us and Spain – who pulled their troops out of Iraq - and Germany and Ireland – the former I’m not aware even has an army or that the second has any troops there either… Let’s also not forget, if you think the UK is suffering for being perceived as a war mongering country, how on earth did Serbia end up winning the competition? No only did it win, it won with massive support from its own neighbours, many of whom it was at war with until a few years ago!

So why has the UK done so badly in recent years? It’s worth remembering that as the UK, Germany, France and Spain (the big 4) pay the biggest contribution to the staging of Eurovision, we automatically qualify for the final. Many people forget that there are actually two Eurovision song contests, so if you are not one of the big 4, or one of the highest scorers on the night, you have to take part in the qualifier and face the possibility that you may not make it to the final. This could be where some of the ‘partisan’ voting comes from. I am reliably informed that much is made in the commentaries in many countries of the fact that the big 4 automatically qualify and therefore do not need the support of the viewers as much as the other countries. This means that your vote is more valuable to a non auto-qualifying country, as not only will you help that country potentially win, you will help them qualify automatically for next years final too. You can then understand why viewers may vote for a neighbouring country where there may be a shared language, culture and a few aunts and uncles.

There can also be momentum behind many of the highest scorers. For example, this year’s Ukrainian entry courted much controversy to the stage where effigies of the singer were being burned in the streets. This ensured a lot of publicity for the song so it was already familiar to many people before the final itself. It will also have attracted a lot of support from those who wanted the song to do well to make a point to the critics – this may have hurt Scooch who turned in their own, excellent, camp performance.

Many of the singers too are well known in their native territories – the winning Serbian singer included. This will also guarantee a certain amount of support. By contrast, our performers are usually unknown or fairly minor celebrities as, given our attitude towards the competition, no big western acts will entertain the idea of entering.

Then there is the European mood and the quality of the performance. There is no such thing as a sure fire formula for winning Eurovision. Just contrast last years incredible performance-led winners Lordi with this years minimal, lyric-centric winner. There is just no way of knowing what Europe is going to warm to. A few years ago Javine gave an excellent performance for the UK of what was essentially a carbon copy of a previous winner. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t win. This has never been the way to win Eurovision. You need, a little originality, a little momentum and a whole lot of luck!

And the less said about Gemini, the better…

On the whole I think Eurovision is a great event and it does not deserve to receive the sour-graped criticism we have seen since Saturday. While the funding and qualification criteria remain as now, its true that things will remain stacked against us, but at the same time I do not feel that we stand no chance of winning – or at least ‘doing well’. With over 40 countries taking part, the show is a lottery. You cannot guarantee you will do well or win on a regular basis. My enthusiasm for the show was ignited when Bucks Fizz claimed the crown back in 1981 and it was 16 years before we won again. Its only been 10 years since our last win, so come on Britain, get over it!

...anti climax.

It was my Birthday on Tuesday. Happy birthday to me.

This update nearly didn't happen as on logging in I was forced to move my blog to some fucking corporate google bollocks. I thought a blog was supposed to be about freedom of expression and now i've been forced to align myself to some fucking corporate internet fascist organisation.

This blog will now either be moved or deleted. If I get one bloody email from google telling me how much better off i'll be if I use their email or messenger i'll self combust...

...spirito de simon & the city!

It’s taken me nearly two weeks to post this update! S&TC has been very busy lately (mainly painting doors) but this story cannot go un-published so here goes!

Cast your mind back to the evening of Tuesday 13th February, this was a night in the true spirit of Simon & the City. I had wanted to see Shayne Ward in concert for ages and had planned to attend his Birmingham gig on the Saturday of the same week. Unfortunately, as the date drew nearer, so my funds drained and I knew I would not be able to afford/justify the ticket…But no fear - enter stage right my good ole chum, Chig. A good friend of his, who will remain nameless (lets just call him a Troubled-Diva…) offered him a review of Shayne’s Nottingham gig and guess who he asked to accompany him? That’s right, me!

After a hot and hearty meal at Wagamama, we jumped into a cab to travel the short distance to the Nottingham Arena and headed to the Box Office to collect the tickets. On entering the arena I could barely contain my excitement as we were led to our seats in the middle of the FRONT ROW! Boy how it pays to have friends in high places!! While sitting rather excitedly, waiting for the show to begin, I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to investigate. A guy two rows back was pointing at a female companion of his and said ‘she wants to know if you’re Shayne’s brother!’ – Flattered and somewhat flustered I replied ‘…unfortunately not mate!’ It was at this point I realised I was dressed a little too similar to the photos of Shayne that were being flashed up on the video screens! It seems a white shirt, plain v-neck sweater and a few mills of stubble are all you need to get the Ward look!

Anyway, 9pm finally struck and Shayne was thrust up from beneath the stage right in front of me! I was so close I could tell you his religion and see the price tags hanging of his rather fabulous accessories!

It was a shame there was no new material for him to perform, but given his operation last year, it’s probably not surprising given it must have set the record company machine back a couple of months. He treated us to the best of his No.1 album, together with a wealth of classics which included George Michael’s ‘Fast Love’, ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ by The Darkness and ‘Never Too Much’ by Luther Vandross. One performance that really worked for me was a cover of ‘Dare’ by Gorillaz. The vocal arrangement and indeed the whole feel of this record suited Shayne perfectly. It’s exactly the style of music he and his record company should be pursuing. Let’s hope the positive reaction to this particular performance influences Shayne’s second album which is currently in production!

There were two theatrical sections to the show – one a tribute to the man in purple – Prince and another to the Milk Tray man, sorry James Bond! The latter saw Shayne lowered onto the stage to the opening bars of Bond theme ‘Live and Let Die’ - his performance of which contained spectacular pyrotechnics warranting the under 7s to be issued with ear plugs!!

After giving me a wave and a smile, Shayne left the stage to the roar of the fans in the arena. He wasn’t gone for long though and returned to perform his no.1 hit ‘That’s My Goal’ followed by the fans favourite, ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. The show left me in no doubt that Shayne is a great talent. His voice is incredibly strong and charismatic and his stage presence engaging – mainly down to those smouldering good looks! What he needs now is for his record company to understand him better and together produce a killer album!

High on Shayne’s smile, Chig and I left the arena for a late night cruise around the centre of Nottingham, followed by drinks in a local bar with our hosts. Yes, in one evening, I had discovered a new city, new friends and a new star! Truly a night in the real spirit of Simon & the City!

The author would like to express his sincere thanks to all who made the evening possible and so memorable. He would also like to point out that the person with Shayne in the accompanying photo is not him, but presumably the owner of the rather fabulous linked web-site. :-)

...well done your majesty!

Congratulations to the lovely Helen Mirren on winning the Best Actress BAFTA for 'The Queen' which also won Best Picture. I saw the film and she was fab! She was equally fab in Channel 4's brilliant 'Elizabeth I'

Well done love!

....shame the whole proceedings were spoilt by Jonathan Ross' inane drivel...

...spoke too soon...

Seems 24hrs is a long time in weather forecasting in the UK. We had days of hullabaloo (have i just invented a word?) about the fact that it was going to snow on Thursday and we coped marvelously for a change! The schools were closed and the roads gritted and everyone got to work and back again without any problems what-so-ever, hurrah! The weather forecast for friday was equally consistent throughout the week - dry, i.e. not snowing. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell mother nature and friday afternoon we had a heavier spell of snowfall than the day before!!! The roads weren't gritted and the entire city ground to a halt... I have arrived at work today to tales of 4hr journeys home that should have taken 20mins...and do you think there is any mention on www.bbc.co.uk of their failure to accurately forecast the weather? Of course not...!

But I'm remaining positive! No Mr Negative here! The trains were running on time and despite a few worrying moments driving home from the station I reached my abode in good time! Within two days the snow has gone and the world is back to its crazy, loveable self! :-)

...remaining positive, despite the weather!

Anyone reading this who does not live in the south of England may wonder why some snowfall warrants a blog update - well we actually get very little snow here in the winter these days, so when we get a heavy snowfall like we did last night - and are still getting as I type - its big news! Everyone gets very worked up about it and the transport networks grind to a halt before any snow has fallen!!

Anyway, I decided to leave my car at home toady and get the bus and do you know what? I was early!

...john-paul is gay, Yay!

...it was the moment we've all been waiting for! You could hear the collective cheer across the country as gay E4 viewers heard the words we've been longing John-Paul to say for so long ... 'i'm gay'.

Those without the joys of 'digital' TV can watch the magical moment on Channel 4 tonight from 6:30pm.

...life update - with a positive spin!

Well, Christmas was very pleasant as always. Mum cooked a lovely dinner and i had lots of lovely presents. It's the build-up that's not quite as fabulous - see earlier blog update...

A few weeks of January austerity have been followed by a few weeks of fun and frolics! Late January saw me jet off on my break from the winter blues to Ibiza, via Valencia. Can you believe the return flight to Valencia from Coventry only cost £35! (cost me £40 to park at the airport for the week mind :-) ) There are no direct flights to Ibiza in the winter, so one has to go via some other, fabulous winter destination!

I booked one night in Valencia to re-acquaint myself with the place and stayed in a lovely four star hotel. Valencia loves everything modern and its hotels seem to reflect that. There are no shortage of modern boutique hotels to be had! Try booking through www.venere.com my favourite travel web site - everything is ieuros's and you don't pay until you check-out! The city itself is a vibrant mix of old and new. From the narrow streets of the old town to the ultra-modern edifices that make up the City of Arts and Sciences! English is not widely spoken though so get out that phrase book! It was great for me though, as I am studying Spanish and was therefore forced to use it! - Blimey, i'm beginning to sound like some naff travel writer!!

One problem I always seem to have in Valencia though is tracking down its gay scene! Thankfully Gaydar.co.uk came to the rescue and after a long luxurious bubble bath, I ordered in. Yum, yum... ;-) Most of my 24hrs in the city though, involved walking the streets, absorbing the atmosphere in the pleasant January sunshine, stopping for a coffee and a toasted sandwich in a little cafe before hitting the streets again to take in a few more sights. Lovely! By the end of my first 24hrs out of the UK I felt thoroughly relaxed!

Next came my evening flight to Ibiza (thanks to www.iberia.com ) and after a power-cut in the terminal building which knocked out all the check-in desks and a slight delay, i was on my way! Stepping off the plane at Ibiza airport I felt like I had come home. It's a strange sensation. Valencia was familiar to me as I have been before, but for some reason Ibiza puts its arms around me and says 'welcome home'...

Anyway, the next four days were filled with sunshine, wind, rain, cloud, alcohol, ham, cheese, sex, anxiety, noise, silence, desire, fun, tension, surprise, deceit and some sleep - aided by wax ear plugs from Boots, £1.99. Just a normal few days in Ibiza really... The journey back home was fairly painless (again via Valencia), but yet again I found myself in a limbo world, unsure about whether to make Ibiza my home and at the same time having little desire to return to the UK.

Another 24hrs later I was back at work and back into my old routine - looking for cheap flights to Ibiza... ;-)

But it doesn't end there...soon it was the weekend again and I was off on my travels again! This time the destination was a little closer to home - Rugby to be precise - and a very nice room at the local Holiday Inn. There I met up with some friends for a Birthday/Housewarming party which was jolly good fun! Food, Karaoke (I murdered Dolly Parton / Dead or Alive & Relight My Fire...) too much booze - again (seems to be a worrying trend for 07) and shock at the amount of port spilt on the hall carpet by the next door neighbour, all rounded off with a lovey sunday lunch of Gammon, Egg and Chips!

Trying to maintain the party vibe (and as a form of distraction - see earlier update) i was in the pub last night for another Birthday and this weekend I've got yet another! - Meal and a club I think, Mailbox/Nightingale(Sophie Ellis-Bextor!) The following friday is XXL - Is there no end to my life of distraction!

Simon & the City are certainly living life to the full right now! - Is that positive enough for you?!

...i know its february, but happy new year anyway!

I've just read my last update and god! wasn't it depressing! It reminded me of how I used to keep a diary. For quite a few years i'd get a new one for Christmas and start recording my thoughts. Unfortunately, just like all those people going on diets and joining gyms, i'd usually given up by March... One day I sat down and got out all my old diaries and started to read them. It was not much fun. Year after year of repetitive entries about having a bad day, feeling down, hating my job, etc, etc. What was most evident was that my state of mind had never changed. I'd got new jobs, had holidays, loved and lost, yet still the underlying theme of my entries was completely negative. I did not like this person detailed in front of me and swore I would never keep a diary again. They say that writing a diary is good if you're feeling depressed. Rubbish I say. It just sits there as a constant reminder of unhappy days, weeks and months, detailing how you feel life is not working out as you'd hoped and how your dreams seem as distant as ever. Sometimes indulging your negativity is not a good idea. Sometimes you should close your mind to it and stick on a Victoria Wood DVD, or get down the pub with your mates for some serious gossiping about this weeks celebrities. Distraction is better than indulgence! I'm pleased to say I have stuck to my word and have never kept a diary since! - Unfortunately, my last blog update read just like one of those diary entries of old... I need to start putting a positive spin on things to avoid history repeating itself....cue Shirley... :-)